Channeling:

  1. (verb) To control the flow of the One Power (The Eye of the World,Glossary)
  2. (noun) The act of controlling the flow of the One Power. (The Eye of the World,Glossary)

The One Power comes from the True Source, the driving force of Creation. The male half of the True Source, saidin, and the female half, saidar, work against each other and with each other to provide the force that turns the Wheel of Time. The True Source cannot be used up just as a river cannot be used up by a mill wheel. (TEotW,Ch12)

Only two to three percent of the population have the ability to learn to channel. Only a small fraction of those will ever channel without training. Of those who do begin channeling on their own, most will die without training. (Guide)

In the Age of Legends about 3% of the population had the ability to learn to channel. In the current Age that is down to about 1%. (Tor Website Q&A)

Men with the spark inborn develop the ability later than women, often after they are twenty. (LoC,Ch28) Men grow strong in the One Power faster than women. (ACoS,Ch7) Even after being raised to the shawl, Aes Sedai may take another five years before they reach their full strength. (NS,Ch17) Excessive luck and sudden unexpected rises in prominence can be early indicators of the ability to channel in men. (NS,Epilogue)

Men can only weakly detect other men holding saidin. (TFoH,Prologue)

The female Forsaken know how to mask their ability to channel so that Aes Sedai cannot detect them. (ACoS,Prologue)

When channelers (men or women) hold the One Power it blurs the images that Min sees. When they actually channel it's even worse. (ACoS,Ch2)

Channelers slow. Between the ages of twenty and twenty-five they begin aging more slowly. (ACoS,Ch24)

Some animals can sense the ability to channel. Cats are attracted to Aes Sedai while dogs react with fear or aggression. The opposite is true for Asha'man. (TEotW,Ch41, LoC,Ch46, WH,Prologue)

The second-learned weave limitation - once a weave is learned to perform a task it is very difficult to learn a second method of doing the same thing.

Relative Strengths#

Ryans Bettens has a One Power Model v1.1 with a detailed analysis of relative strengths of characters, though it is only current through Lord of Chaos. Dave Rothgary and Karl-Johan Norén also have a Tentative Listing of OP Strength.

Five Powers#

"There are threads to the One Power, and each person who can channel the One Power can usually grasp some threads better than others. These threads are named according to the sort of things that can be done using them - Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit - and are called the Five Powers....While Spirit was found equally in men and in women, great ability with Earth and/or Fire was found much more often among men, with Water and/or Air among women." (The Eye of the World,Glossary)
"To the channeler, the flows seem to originate in his or her very immediate vicinity, not to emanate from themselves, although to another channeler, those flows do seem to be emanating from the channeler. The latter is the actual case, as the One Power is passing through the channeler, one of the reasons for individual limits on how much of the Power a particular person can handle. (And you have seen characters react as if to a blow from having a flow snapped or cut.)
A channeler sees the flows as colored very faintly, according to which of the Five Powers is involved (red = Fire, Blue = Water, green = Earth, yellow = Air, white = Spirit), although the "feel" of the flows are also different to a channeler, so that a channeler can tell one from another without actually seeing them. (That is how someone can tell that somebody else has channeled, say, Fire and Earth, in their vicinity without seeing the flows.) It isn't a physical feel; you might almost as well say that they have different flavors. They appear to be smooth and nearly transparent, tinged with color." (Tor Website Q&A)

References (Possible Spoilers)#

  1. In New Spring
    1. NS,Ch2 - When Gitara collapses, Tamra Delves her with Air, Water and Spirit.
    2. NS,Ch5 - In the noisy camp Siuan amplifies her voice with Air and Fire to quiet the crowd.
    3. NS,Ch6 - Moiraine weaves Air, Water and Earth to remove an ink stain from her dress.
    4. NS,Ch11 - Moiraine touches the Oath Rod with Spirit as Moiraine speaks the Three Oaths.
    5. NS,Ch14 - Ryma Galfrey weaves Air and Fire to amplify her voice when she announces the death of Tamra Ospenya.
    6. NS,Ch19 - Moiraine weaves a ward of Spirit around Lan, Ryne Venamar and Bukama Marenellin so she will know if they move during the night.
    7. NS,Ch19 - With a weave of Air, Water and a touch of Earth Moiraine raises a cylinder of water from a lake and drops it on Lan.
    8. NS,Ch23 - Moiraine uses a secret Blue Ajah weave of Spirit to induce fear in an attacker.
    9. NS,Ch26 - Moiraine severs Merean Redhill's attack with a weave of Air and Fire.
    10. NS,Ch26 - Moiraine Heals Lan with a weave of Spirit, Air and Water.
    11. NS,Epilogue - Moiraine bonds Lan as her Warder with an intricate weave of Spirit.
  2. In The Eye of the World
    1. TEotW,Ch18 - Moiraine uses Earth and Fire to cause and earthquake and wall of fire.
    2. TEotW,Ch18 - Moiraine uses Air, Earth and Spirit to lay a false trail that fools the Trollocs and Fades.
    3. TEotW,Ch21 - Listening to the Wind uses Air and Water.
    4. TEotW,Ch51 - Rand fights Ba'alzamon with a sword of Air and Fire.
  3. In The Great Hunt
    1. TGH,Ch18 - Siuan makes a sword of Air. She then binds Egwene and Nynaeve with Air.
    2. TGH,Ch42 - Egwene is unusually strong with Earth.
  4. In The Dragon Reborn
    1. TDR,Ch6 - Those particularly strong in Spirit can force their dreams on others as Rand does.
    2. TDR,Ch15 - Nynaeve uses Air to bind the Gray Man that shot at them. Sheriam Bayanar then uses Air to hide the body with an opaque dome.
    3. TDR,Ch15 - Healing uses Spirit, Air and Water.
    4. TDR,Ch26 - When the girls encounter a locked door, Egwene weakens the chain with Earth then Nynaeve breaks it with a prybar of Air.
    5. TDR,Ch27 - The barrier around Callandor is half saidin, half saidarThe saidar part is made of Air, Fire and Spirit.
    6. TDR,Ch38 - Egwene prepares to weave lightning with Air and Fire.
    7. TDR,Ch38 - Nynaeve uses a very complex weave for Healing.
    8. TDR,Ch48 - In the building of the Stone of Tear, Earth was used to draw stone from the ground then Air to bring the stone to one place. Earth and Fire made it all one piece.
    9. TDR,Ch51 - Liandrin and Nynaeve beat Nynaeve into submission with Air.
    10. TDR,Ch53 - The hedgehog ter'angreal uses pure Spirit.
    11. TDR,Ch53 - The Talent of Dreaming is a thing of Spirit.
    12. TDR,Ch54 - Egwene shields Joiya the True Source with a weave of Spirit.
  5. In The Shadow Rising
    1. TSR,Ch10 - Rand destroys all the Shadowspawn in the Stone of Tear with a complex weave of Air, Fire and Spirit.
    2. TSR,Ch20 - Windfinders are experts at Air and Water.
    3. TSR,Ch54 - Moghedien attempts to Compel Nynaeve with a weave of Spirit streaked with Water and Air. They attempt to shield and still each other with weaves of Spirit.
    4. TSR,Ch54 - Moghedien disguised the seal as a small figurine with a weave of Air and Fire.
  6. In The Fires of Heaven
    1. TFoH,Prologue - Rahvin Compels his servants with weaves of Spirit.
    2. TFoH,Ch3 - Rand weaves a shield of Spirit and Fire to prevent Asmodean from leaving the room.
    3. TFoH,Ch4 - Rand shields his dreams with a weave of Spirit.
    4. TFoH,Ch31 - Rand heats the interior of his igloo with a weave of Air and Fire that Asmodean taught him.
    5. TFoH,Ch35 - Nynaeve tries to Heal Birgitte with a complex weave of Spirit, Water, Air, Earth and Fire.
    6. TFoH,Ch48 - The iron disc and amber plaque require Spirit.
    7. TFoH,Ch52 - Rand cuts Lanfear's weave with Spirit woven with Fire and Earth.
    8. TFoH,Ch54 - Rand counters Rahvin's lightning of Fire and Air with a shield of the same.
  7. In Lord of Chaos
    1. LoC,Ch6 - Semirhage strips her victim's clothes with Fire and Air and pulverizes them with Fire and Earth. She then uses Spirit and Fire to stimulate the pain centers.
    2. LoC,Ch6 - Air is sometimes referred to as Wind.
    3. LoC,Ch10 - Alanna Mosvani weaves Illusion with Air and Fire making herself appear as a giant.
    4. LoC,Ch11 - Rand teaches Rand's recruits to blow up rocks with Fire and Earth.
    5. LoC,Ch12 - The Aes Sedai shield the Little Tower against eavesdropping with a ward woven of Fire and Air with touches of Water.
    6. LoC,Ch15 - Before making a speech, Romanda amplifies her voice with Air.
    7. LoC,Ch21 - Rand weaves trap around the Shadar Logoth Waygate using all five Powers.
    8. LoC,Ch25 - Egwene eavesdrops on the palace with a weave of mostly Air with a little Fire.
    9. LoC,Ch28 - Rand makes a globe of light with Fire and Air.
    10. LoC,Ch29 - Nynaeve probes Logain Ablar with all five Powers, then Heals him with Fire and Spirit.
    11. LoC,Ch30 - Nynaeve Heals Siuan and Leane with Fire and Spirit and notes that it feels different.
    12. LoC,Ch34 - Egwene weaves Spirit to open a gateway into Tel'aran'rhiod.
    13. LoC,Ch37 - Egwene weaves Spirit to open a gateway into the Aiel Waste.
    14. LoC,Ch49 - Rand weaves Spirit, Fire and Earth and breaks through the Aes Sedai's Illusion.
    15. LoC,Ch52 - Elayne disguises herself with a complicated weave of Air and Fire, then masked her ability to channel with an even more complex weave of Spirit.
    16. LoC,Ch52 - Myrelle Berengari uses Spirit on her bond to Lan to make him come to her.
    17. LoC,Ch55 - Rand breaks the shield on him, crushing the connections to the three Aes Sedai with Spirit. The three Aes Sedai are stilled.
    18. LoC,Ch55 - The Asha'man use Earth and Fire to explode the ground under the Shaido.
  8. In A Crown of Swords
    1. ACoS,Ch10 - Aes Sedai shield their dreams with Spirit.
    2. ACoS,Ch20 - The call box is activated by channeling Fire. It automatically draws Earth, Air and Spirit.
    3. ACoS,Ch24 - Nynaeve Delves Elayne with a simple weave of all five Powers. She is too woozy to use her self-taught Healing that uses all five so she Heals Elayne with a conventional weave of Spirit, Wind and Water.
    4. ACoS,Ch34 - Rand makes a bridge from the boat to the Sea Folk ship from Air laced with Fire.
    5. ACoS,Ch40 - The binder is activated by channeling Spirit into the number at the end.
    6. ACoS,Ch41 - Dashiva gets angry at the Wise Ones and Aes Sedai and prepares complex weaves of Fire and Spirit for pain.
    7. ACoS,Ch41 - Rand announces himself with a voice amplified by Air and Fire.
    8. ACoS,Ch41 - Sammael blows up a tower with Fire and Earth then fires laser-like wires of Fire and Air.
  9. In The Path of Daggers
    1. TPoD,Prologue - Verin's Compulsion is predominantly Spirit but has Wind and Water, Fire and Earth as well.
    2. TPoD,Ch5 - The Bowl of the Winds draws all five Powers.
    3. TPoD,Ch13 - Rand amplifies his voice with Air and Fire.
    4. TPoD,Ch20 - Spirit is the safest Power for testing unknown ter'angreal.
    5. TPoD,Ch20 - Fire activates the metal helmet and the red rod.
    6. TPoD,Ch24 - Using Callandor, Rand channels Wind, Water and Fire and lightning destroys the entire area.
    7. TPoD,Ch29 - Rand weaves Folded Light from Fire and Air rendering himself invisible.
    8. TPoD,Ch29 - When Dashiva throws fireballs at Rand, he weaves an impenetrable cocoon from Air, Fire and Earth. He then weaves Fire and Air to shoot laser wires back at his attackers.
  10. In Crossroads of Twilight
    1. CoT,Ch14 - Monaelle teaches Sumeko Karistovan Caressing the Child, weaving Spirit, Fire and Earth.
    2. CoT,Ch17 - With hints from Moghedien, Egwene rediscovers the weave for making cuendillar. It uses Earth, Air and Fire.
    3. CoT,Ch21 - The tiny red rod that acts as a signal device is activated by Fire and Earth.
    4. CoT,Ch30 - Egwene weaves Earth, Air and Fire, then touches the chain across Northharbor with Earth and Fire to turn it into cuendillar.
  11. In Knife of Dreams
    1. KoD,Ch1 - Siuan weaves Earth, Fire and Air to remove the blacking from Gareth Bryne's boots.
    2. KoD,Ch1 - Siuan weaves Spirit to hide her ability to channel.
    3. KoD,Ch1 - Siuan weaves Air and a hint of Fire to eavesdrop.
    4. KoD,Ch13 - Aviendha weaves Air, Fire, Water and Earth to disperse the mysterious storm that appears over Caemlyn.
    5. KoD,Ch15 - Aviendha activates the two foot statue library with Fire and Earth.
    6. KoD,Ch16 - Elayne weaves Fire, Air and a trace of Water to ward against eavesdropping.
    7. KoD,Ch16 - Elayne weaves Spirit to lay a Finder on Samwil Hark.
    8. KoD,Ch19 - Lews Therin weaves Earth, Air and Fire for Blossoms of Fire, Spirit, Fire and Earth for Deathgates and Fire and Earth for Arrows of Fire.
    9. KoD,Ch20 - The Asha'man and Aes Sedai link and weave pure Fire to incinerate the Shadowspawn carcasses.
    10. KoD,Ch21 - Rand weaves Spirit and Fire to open a gateway.
    11. KoD,Ch23 - Nacelle Kayama uses a complex weave of all five Powers to detect Narishma channeling.
    12. KoD,Ch31 - Elayne weaves Spirit to hide her ability to channel.
    13. KoD,Ch31 - Chesmal Emry weaves Fire, Earth and Water to kill Vandene Namelle and Sareitha.
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